01 · the cities
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) sits halfway between LA and San Francisco on the central coast, with Cal Poly students, gorgeous wine country (Edna Valley and Paso Robles nearby), and a Thursday night farmers market that takes over downtown. It's been called the happiest city in America (multiple studies, Oprah included), and the vibe really does back that up. Bubblegum Alley is exactly what it sounds like. Mellow and beautiful.
full dispatch→Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City sits in a bowl of mountains so close you can be at a ski lift in 30 minutes. The grid is laid out from Temple Square in clean numbered streets that make navigation almost too easy. The Great Salt Lake glints west, the Wasatch towers east, and the city itself has loosened up into a real food and bar scene in the last decade. The powder really is that light.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,608/mo
$1,487/mo less than San Luis Obispo (92%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$584k
$351k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,338/mo
Salt Lake City has $1,875/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
303 days
168 days
135 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
23 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
33 days
days below 20°F per year
Salt Lake City has 9 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo. Salt Lake City drops below 20°F on 33 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
78 / 100
10.0 pts ahead of San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
90 routes
87 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
1.3M metro
San Luis Obispo has 6.2x fewer events per month than Salt Lake City.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Salt Lake City
categories won
Salt Lake City wins on money and lifestyle. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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